The Lightning Thief's Best Friend
by sammyhammy18
Summary: The Lightning Thief told by Annabeth's perspective.
1. Chapter 1

My name is Annabeth Chase. I am 12 years old. And I am a demigod. Child of Athena to be precise. I'm sure you've heard of my friend Percy Jackson, the demigod with the worst luck. Well I think it's time I told my story of what's been happening since we met.

It started before he arrived at camp. Chiron had been gone all winter, watching this special demigod. I was one of the few that knew why he was gone and I was left to watch things on his behalf. Now I know, I'm only 12, but I've been at camp long enough to know how to keep control of everyone.

Anyway, it was right after supper one night that Chiron arrived back at the camp. I could tell something was wrong immediately; he snuck in without saying a word to anyone. I ditched the campfire as soon as I could and headed to the big house.

As I walked up the stairs to the porch, I heard two voices talking quietly around back. I stuck my invisibility cap on and snuck to where Chiron and Mr. D were talking.

"He's powerful, but I couldn't do anything about it or I would've alerted him to this life," Chiron was whispering.

"Whatever, I don't care about the brat, unless it's a brat that'll help with the situation at hand," Dionysus said just as quietly.

I frowned. I didn't know what situation they were talking about but it sounded a lot bigger than a demigod in New York.

"Chiron, we have bigger problems than half-bloods running around New York. There will be a war if this theft isn't resolved by the solstice!"

I slipped off the rail I was leaning on. Chiron heard the noise.

"Annabeth," he said sternly. "I thought I made it clear that you were not to spy on us."

I blushed and took off my invisibility cap. "I'm sorry. I came to talk to you and thought it would be better if I didn't interrupt."

Mr. D rolled his eyes. "Well you can deal with this Chiron I'll be going to bed." He got up and went into the house.

Before Chiron could chew me out for eavesdropping I blurted out: "What got stolen? Could the half-blood you were watching have something to do with it? Do you need me to go on a quest?"

Chiron held up a hand to stop me. "I have told you before, you will not being going on a quest until a certain someone arrives. Now please Annabeth, go back to the campfire. You shouldn't be involved in any of this anyway."

"Wait, Chiron, one more question. Where's Grover?" I inquired. Grover was one of my oldest friends and I missed him while he was protecting the secret half-blood all winter.

Chiron opened his mouth but before he could respond a bolt of lightning lit up the valley. We turned and looked up at Thalia's tree. We could see the rain outside the borders but not anything else. We waited and watched the hill looking for any signs of what was happening. Suddenly, two figures appeared by the tree, staggering down the hill towards the big house. I recognized one of them.

"Grover!" Before I could take off running Chiron grabbed me and held me back.

"Wait. See how they are."

We watched them stumble towards us and finally we could see them clearly. Grover was unconscious, being dragged by a boy I've never seen before. The boy had dark hair and green eyes, he was kind of cute in a trouble-maker sort of way. He collapsed on the porch and Chiron and I looked down on him.

"He's the one. He has to be." I said.

"Silence, Annabeth. He's still conscious. Bring him inside." Chiron told me.

Together we dragged him and Grover into the big house infirmary. I brought both boys some nectar and gave them a bit.

"Alright, lets leave them to rest for the night," Chiron quietly told me. He rolled out of the room and I followed him out. "Annabeth, I want you to go to your cabin right now. Don't mention anything to anyone."

I nodded. "Goodnight Chiron." s


	2. Chapter 2

I got up at the crack of dawn the next morning and raced to the big house. I slowly opened the door to the infirmary and peeked in. Both boys were fast asleep. I closed the door as quietly as I could and backed out of the big house.

"Well good morning Annabeth."

I spun around and found Chiron sitting on the porch in his wheelchair. He was frowning slightly but didn't look too angry with me sneaking around.

"Um I was just checking how they were doing.." I muttered, looking down at my feet.

"Since you are so interested in them, you can be in charge of healing them. Specifically Percy. Grover should be alright in a bit."

I looked at Chiron and smiled. "Will do!" I grabbed some more nectar and crept back into the infirmary. I gave a bit to the boy, Percy, I guess his name is, and sat quietly studying him.

I heard someone stirring. Grover opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

"Uhh what happened?" he moaned. I jumped up and went over to him.

"Hey Grover. You're okay. You and Percy had a little trouble getting here last night but its okay now." I said in a soothing voice. Grover bolted upright at my words.

"Oh no. Oh no no no. Percy!" Grover looked around the room and spotted Percy lying unconscious beside him. "Annabeth, there was a Minotaur! It chased us from Montauk to Half-Blood Hill! Percy's mom was with us, she didn't make it," he hung his head.

I patted him on the arm. "Hey its not your fault. You got Percy here alive, I'm sure you'll get your searchers license!"

He stood up and stretched. "I need to go back to the hill. See if I can find anything." He wandered out of the infirmary and disappeared. I let him go, thinking it'd be best if he was on his own for a bit.

I sat back down beside Percy and started spoon-feeding him ambrosia. After a few mouthfuls he opened his eyes. I figured he would know something about what Chiron and Mr. D were talking about last night and now was my chance to get answers.

"What will happen at the summer solstice?" I asked.

"What?" he croaked.

I looked around the room to double check no one was around. "What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!"

"I'm sorry, I don't…" There was a knock at the door and I shoved another spoonful of ambrosia into his mouth to keep him quiet.

Chiron wheeled in and rolled up beside Percy. I looked for Percy's reaction to seeing his teacher but he had already passed out again, go figure.

"Annabeth, I think he has had enough for the time being. Head back to your activities please. And maybe pay Grover a visit, see how he's doing."

I nodded and left the room to find Grover. He was easy to find, he was waiting outside on the porch. I stood beside him at the rail.

"Hey did you find what you were looking for?" I asked him.

He opened the shoebox he was holding and showed me a beautiful broken Minotaur horn. "I'm guessing Percy ripped this off last night when he was fighting the Minotaur. I don't know how he did it. All by himself with no training." He stared off towards the strawberry fields.

"I bet he's powerful. Grover, are you worried about the council? Because they have to give you your license after this! You brought Percy safely here and you're both alive!"

Grover just sighed. "I barely got him here Annabeth. And I was unconscious when we got here. And… His mom was with us. She didn't make it. I don't know what to do, he's not going to be okay when he wakes up."

I frowned. "His mom was with you last night?" Grover just nodded.

"The council is going to see this as a failure and I'll be stuck with tap dancing."

"No! I'll help you! You're going to get your searchers license, Grover!"

He gave me a small smile then turned away. "I should go check on Percy." He clopped into the big house and left me alone on the porch. I sighed and headed off to find my cabin.


	3. Chapter 3

I spent the rest of the day and the next day nursing Percy back to health but he never woke up while I was there. Finally, on the second day, he woke up. I stayed with Chiron and Mr. D while Grover brought Percy up to speed on what had happened. After a while they came around the porch.

"Mr. Brunner!" Percy cried when he saw Chiron.

Chiron turned towards him. "Ah, good, Percy. Now we have four for pinochle." He offered Percy the chair beside Mr. D who chose to then welcome him.

"Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see you." Mr. D was a jerk but we were forced to obey him until his punishment at this camp was over.

"Uh, thanks." Percy took the seat, looking apprehensively at Mr.D.

"Annabeth?" Chiron called me. I went to him and he introduced me to Percy. "This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy. Annabeth, my dear, why don't you go check on Percy's bunk? We'll be putting him in cabin eleven for now."

"Sure, Chiron." I glanced at the Minotaur horn Percy was holding. He was brave but I wasn't about to admit that to him. "You drool when you sleep." I sprinted away and didn't look back. What a great first impression I made. Oh well, if he's not the one I'm waiting it for it hardly matters what he thinks of me.

I jogged over to cabin eleven, the Hermes cabin. I knocked on the door, expecting a younger kid to open the door but it was Luke. Luke is my oldest friend here at camp. I trust him more than anyone else. Him and I took care of each other, we basically grew up together. But for some reason I got nervous seeing him standing in front of me so perfectly.

"Hey Annabeth, what's up?" he smiled when he saw me.

"Hi Luke. Chiron sent me to check on the new guys bunk. Did you manage to find some space for him?"

Luke invited me in and showed me a corner that had been cleared for Percy. "It's not much but it's all we have. Wish some of these kids would start getting claimed; it's a little crowded in here."

I nodded. He was right as usual. This cabin was always overflowing. I felt bad for Luke, having to deal with all of this all the time. But he was a great head councilor in my opinion.

"I'll be back in a bit alright, I'm going to check how my cabin is doing at archery." Luke winked at me and disappeared. I stared after him until he disappeared then shook my head.

"Focus," I muttered to myself. I turned and headed to my own cabin and grabbed the book of architecture I was in the middle of reading. I settled in front of the Hermes cabin to wait for Percy and Chiron.

About half an hour later the Hermes cabin arrived, back from their archery lesson I guess. I nodded to the campers as they filed in. Luke winked as he passed me and I felt myself blushing. Finally, Chiron and Percy approached.

I looked at Percy, trying to figure out who his father was. It has to be a big three I don't care what Chiron says.

"Annabeth, I have masters' archery class at noon. Would you take Percy from here?" Chiron asked me.

"Yes, sir," I was a little excited about this, after all it would give me a chance to learn more about Percy.

Chiron turned to Percy. "Cabin eleven. Make yourself at home."

Percy studied the outside of the cabin then looked through the open door. The campers inside saw Chiron and stood and bowed.

"Well, then. Good luck, Percy. I'll see you at dinner." Chiron galloped away, leaving Percy to me.

I glanced inside where everyone was staring at us then turned to Percy. "Well? Go on."

He tripped. I cursed inwardly. This couldn't be who I was waiting for. But I stepped forward anyway to introduce him.

"Percy Jackson, meet cabin eleven."

"Regular or undetermined?" Travis Stoll asked.

"Undetermined." I replied. The campers weren't fond of that answer but I was used to giving it. Then Luke came forward.

"Now, now, campers. That's what we're here for. Welcome, Percy. You can have that spot on the floor, right over there." He pointed in the direction of a cleared space.

I felt like I was obligated to introduce the two of them. "This is Luke." I saw Percy glance at me and quickly changed my face so he wouldn't see me blushing. "He's your counselor for now."

"For now?" Percy asked.

"You're undetermined. They don't know what cabin to put you in, so you're here. Cabin eleven takes all newcomers, all visitors. Naturally, we would. Hermes, our patron, is the god of travelers." Luke explained all this while I watched him speak. I shook my head before I got too lost in his eyes.

Percy looked around the cabin. "How long will I be here?"

"Good question. Until you're determined." Luke replied. He was studying Percy, I don't know why.

"How long will that take?" Percy asked. The campers started laughing. It was time to pull him out of there before he embarrassed himself more.

"Come on. I'll show you the volleyball court"

"I've already seen it," leave it to him to make it more difficult.

"Come on." I grabbed his wrist and him outside. The cabin was still laughing. I waited until we were out of earshot then turned to him. "Jackson, you have to do better than that."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes. "I can't believe I thought you were the one."

"What's your problem?" He was starting to get angry, "All I know is, I kill some bull guy-"

"Don't talk like that!" I exploded. This guy had no clue about anything. I felt insulted just by talking to him. "You know how many kids at this camp wish they'd had your chance?"

"To get killed?"

"To fight the Minotaur! What do you think we train for?" I can't believe I thought he was the one.

He shook his head. "Look, if the thing I fought really was the Minotaur, the same one in the stories…"

"Yes."

"And he died, like, a gajillion years ago, right? Theseus killed him in the labyrinth. So…"

"Monsters don't die, Percy. They can be killed. But they don't die." I could tell I was going to have a lot to explain.

"Oh, thanks. That clears it up." Fantastic. A new kid with an attitude.

"They don't have souls, like you and me. You can dispel them for a while, maybe even for a whole lifetime if you're lucky. But they are primal forces. Chiron calls them archetypes. Eventually, they reform."

"You mean if I killed one, accidentally with a sword-"

"The Fur… I mean, your math teacher. That's right. She's still out there. You just made her very, very mad."

"How did you know about Mrs. Dodds?"

"You talk in your sleep." It was true. He could talk quite a bit for someone that got knocked out.

"You almost called her something. A Fury? They're Hades' torturers, right?"

I glanced at the sky. Names are powerful, I didn't want anything else coming. "You shouldn't call them by name, even here. We call them the Kindly Ones, if we have to speak of them at all."

"Look, is there anything we can say without it thundering? Why do I have to stay in cabin eleven, anyway? Why is everybody so crowded together? There are plenty of empty bunks right over there" He pointed to the big three cabins. He was whining. I couldn't blame hi, all this stuff would freak anyone out.

"You don't just choose a cabin, Percy. It depends on who your parents are. Or… your parent." I stared at him, waiting for him to put the pieces together.

"My mom is Sally Jackson. She works at the candy store in Grand Central Station. At least she used to."

"I'm sorry about your mom, Percy. But that's not what I mean. I'm talking about your other parent. Your dad."

"He's dead. I never knew him."

I sighed; this was going to take a while. "Your father's not dead, Percy."

"How can you say that? You know him?"

"No, of course not."

"They how can you say-"

"Because I know you. You wouldn't be here if you weren't one of us."

"You don't know anything about me."

"No? I bet you moved around from school to school. I bet you were kicked out of a lot of them."

"How-" He tried to interrupt but I was on a roll.

"Diagnosed with dyslexia. Probably ADHD, too."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Taken together, its almost a sure sign. The letters float off the page when you read, right? That's because your mind is hardwired for ancient Greek. And the ADHD- you're impulsive, can't sit still in the classroom. That's your battlefield reflexes. In a real fight, they'd keep you alive. As for the attention problems, that's because you see too much, Percy, not too little. Your senses are better than a regular mortal's. Of course the teachers want you medicated. Most of them are monsters. They don't want you seeing them for what they are." I stopped to let him process what I was saying.

"You sound like… you went through the same thing?" He finally calmed down and I heard some sympathy in his voice.

"Most of the kids here did. If you weren't like us, you couldn't have survived the Minotaur, much less the ambrosia and nectar."

"Ambrosia and nectar."

"The food and drink we were giving you to make you better. That stuff would've killed a normal kid. It would've turned your blood to fire and your bones to sand and you'd be dead. Face it. You're a half-blood." I stopped. I may have gone too far.

Percy was staring at me but before I could help anymore, we were interrupted.

"Well! A newbie!" It was Clarisse. Perfect, just what I needed right now, a daughter of Ares to mess with us.

"Clarisse. Why don't you go polish your spear or something?"

"Sure, Miss Princess. So I can run you through with it Friday night."

"Erre es korakas! You don't stand a chance." I was going to destroy Ares in the upcoming capture the flag game.

"We'll pulverize you." I saw her eye twitch and knew she was bluffing. Try as she might, Athena was hard to beat. She turned towards Percy. "Who's this little runt?"

"Percy Jackson, meet Clarisse, Daughter of Ares."

He looked stunned. "Like… the war god?"

"You got a problem with that?" Clarisse sneered at him.

"No. It explains the bad smell."

"We got an initiation ceremony for newbies, Prissy."

"Percy."

"Whatever. Come on, I'll show you."

"Clarisse-" I tried to stop her. Percy didn't need to get killed on his first day.

"Stay out of it, wise girl."

I decided to back off. I just hoped Percy wouldn't get hurt. He handed me his Minotaur horn and put his hands up. But Clarisse grabbed him by the neck and dragged him to the bathroom. Percy struggled the whole way there, while the Ares campers laughed.

Clarisse pushed Percy towards a toilet. "Like he's "Big Three" material. Yeah, right. Minotaur probably fell over laughing, he was so stupid looking."

I covered my eyes and watched the scene through my fingers. Clarisse started pushing Percy's head toward the toilet bowl and he struggled to keep his head up. Clarisse was strong though.

Then all of a sudden water shot out of the toilet and hit Clarisse straight in the face. The water got stronger, pushing her into the showers behind her. The other campers moved forward to help her but then all the toilets exploded and blasted them back. The showers started spraying and I got soaked along with the children of Ares. The water kept going until all the campers were out of the bathroom, sprawled in the mud outside. Then the water shut off.

I stared at Percy in shock. He was sitting in the only dry spot in the room. He stood up and looked at me.

"How did you…?" I tried to ask him.

"I don't know."

We walked outside to where everyone was gathering around Clarisse.

"You are dead, new boy. You are totally dead." She screamed at Percy.

"You want to gargle with toilet water again, Clarisse? Close your mouth." Percy replied. I grinned. He was getting better at this. Clarisse had to be held back.

"What? What are you thinking?" I realized I was staring at Percy. I couldn't help it. An idea was forming in my head from what Clarisse said. She wanted him dead and that gave me an advantage for capture the flag.

"I'm thinking, that I want you on my team for capture the flag." I was also thinking that I had an idea who his father was.


	4. Chapter 4

We continued the tour. I showed him the metal shop, the arts and crafts room, and the climbing wall. We finally returned to the canoe lake, where he could follow the trail back to the cabins.

"I've got training to do. Dinners at seven-thirty. Just follow your cabin to the mess hall." I told him.

"Annabeth, I'm sorry about the toilets."

"Whatever." It wasn't that I was mad. I just didn't know what to think about what happened. And I hated not knowing things.

"It wasn't my fault."

I looked at him. It was his fault, he had to know that. "You need to talk to the Oracle."

'Who?"

"Not who. What. The Oracle. I'll ask Chiron." I didn't feel like explaining myself. Percy looked down at the lake, saw the naiads and waved to them.

"Don't encourage them. Naiads are terrible flirts," I warned him.

"Naiads," he repeated. "That's it. I want to go home."

I frowned. He clearly didn't get it yet. "Don't you get it, Percy? You are home. This is the only safe place on earth for kids like us."

"You mean, mentally disturbed kids?"

Okay ouch that one hurt. "I mean not human. Not totally human, anyway. Half-human."

"Half-human and half-what?"

"I think you know."

"God. Half-god."

I nodded, glad he finally understood. "Your father isn't dead, Percy. He's one of the Olympians."

"That's….crazy."

"Is it? What's the most common thing gods did in the old stories? They ran around falling in love with human and having kids with them. Do you think they've changed their habits in the last few millennia?"

"But those are just-" He stopped himself. "But if all the kids here are half-gods-"

"Demigods." I interrupted. "That's the official term. Or half-bloods."

"Then who's your dad?"

My hands tightened on the railing. I hated new campers because they always asked about my parents. And I don't get along with my dad.

"My dad is a professor at West Point. I haven't seen him since I was very small. He teaches American history."

"He's human."

"What? You assume it has to be a male god who finds a human female attractive? How sexist is that?"

Percy looked like he was trying to stay calm and not strangle me. "Who's your mom, then?"

"Cabin six."

"Meaning?"

"Athena. Goddess of wisdom and battle." I said proudly.

"And my dad?"

"Undetermined, like I told you before. Nobody knows."

"Except my mother. She knew."

"Maybe not, Percy. Gods don't always reveal their identities." In fact they rarely do.

"My dad would have. He loved her." Percy insisted and I realized it would just make it worse to argue.

"Maybe you're right. Maybe he'll send a sign. That's the only way to know for sure: your father has to send you a sign claiming you as his son. Sometimes it happens."

"You mean sometimes it doesn't?"

"The gods are busy. They have a lot of kids and they don't always… Well, sometimes they don't care about us, Percy. They ignore us."

"So I'm stuck here? That's it? For the rest of my life?" He didn't look too happy about that outcome.

"It depends. Some campers only stay the summer. If you're a child of Aphrodite or Demeter, you're probably not a real powerful force. The monsters might ignore you, so you can get by with a few months of summer training and live in the mortal world the rest of the year. But for some of us, its too dangerous to leave. We're year-rounders. In the mortal world, we attract monsters. They sense us. They come to challenge us. Most of the time, they'll ignore us until we're old enough to cause trouble- about ten or eleven years old, but after that, most demigods either make their way here, or they get killed off. A few manage to survive in the outside world and become famous. Believe me, if I told you the names, you'd know them. Some don't even realize they're demigods. But very, very few are like that." I ended my long-winded speech about the more depressing parts of being a demigod and watched Percy's reaction.

But all he said was, "so monsters can't get in here?"

I shook my head. "Not unless they're intentionally stocked in the woods or specially summoned by somebody on the inside."

"Why would anybody want to summon a monster?"

"Practice fights. Practical jokes."

Percy looked shocked. "Practical jokes?"

I ignored that. "The point is, the borders are sealed to keep mortals and monsters out. From the outside, mortals look into the valley and see nothing unusual, just a strawberry field."

"So… you're a year rounder?"

I nodded. I pulled my clay bead necklace out from the under the collar of my shirt. "I've been here since I was seven. Every August, on the last day of summer session, you get a bead for surviving another year. I've been here longer than most of the counselors, and they're all in college."

"Why did you come so young?"

I hated when people asked me that question. It was none of their business why I came when I did. Percy had a really good life before coming here. I didn't want him judging me on my childhood.

"None of your business."

"Oh." He fell silent for a minute. "So… I could just walk out of here right now if I wanted to?"

"It would be suicide, but you could, with Mr. D's or Chiron's permission. But they wouldn't give permission until the end of summer session unless…" I trailed off. I suddenly remembered the problem on Olympus.

"Unless?" He prompted me.

"You were granted a quest. But that hardly ever happens. The last time…" I stopped again. I was remembering when Luke went on his quest and left me here. I was so mad when he left; I refused to speak to him when he came back. The silent treatment lasted a whole two hours before I broke when I saw his injury.

"Back in the sick room, when you were feeding me that stuff-" Percy changed the subject again. What was it with this kid?

"Ambrosia."

"Yea. You asked me something about the summer solstice."

I tensed. "So you do know something?"

"Well… no. Back at my old school, I overheard Grover and Chiron talking about it. Grover mentioned the summer solstice. He said something like we didn't have much time, because of the deadline. What did that mean?"

"I wish I knew!" I burst out. "Chiron and the satyrs, they know, but they won't tell me. Something is wrong in Olympus, something pretty major. Last time I was there, everything seemed so normal."

"You've been to Olympus?" Percy asked.

I nodded. "Some of us year-rounders- Luke and Clarisse and I and a few others- we took a field trip during the winter solstice. That's when the gods have their big annual council."

"But… how did you get there?"

"The Long Island Railroad, of course. You get off at Penn Station, Empire State Building, special elevator to the sex hundredth floor. You are a New Yorker, right?" I was just messing with him. I loved making New Yorkers feel like they knew nothing about their own city. But honestly, most of the time they didn't.

"Oh sure."

"Right after we visited, the weather got weird, as if the gods had started fighting. A couple of times since, I've overheard satyrs talking. The best I can figure out is that something important was stolen. And if it isn't returned by summer solstice, there's going to be trouble. When you came, I was hoping… I mean- Athena can get along with just about anybody, except for Poseidon, But, I mean, aside from that, I thought we could work together. I thought you might know something." I blurted it all out, letting him know everything I had been thinking since I first saw him.

Percy shook his head. He looked exhausted, like I had thrown everything I knew at him, which in a way I did. Oops.

"I've got to get a quest," I muttered to myself. "I'm not too young. If they would just tell me the problem…"

I heard a low growl. Percy's stomach. He must be starving.

"Go on back to your cabin, its almost dinner time. I'll see you later."

He ran off right away but I stayed at the rail for a few more minutes thinking about the problem. There had to be a quest. But since they hadn't sent anyone out yet, they must be waiting for someone. And Percy was that someone I was sure of it. I had to find some way to get onto this quest.


	5. Chapter 5

I kept busy the next few days. When I wasn't training I was doing all I could to figure out what was going on with Olympus. The capture the flag game came sooner than I expected.

After dinner that night, a couple of my siblings came with me to get the Athena flag. We ran into the pavilion with the silk banner, the campers on our team cheering us on. Clarisse ran in next with her banner. Chiron announced the teams.

"Heroes! You know the rules. The creek is the boundary line. The entire forest is fair game. All magic items are allowed. The banner must be prominently displayed, and have no more than two guards. Prisoners may be disarmed, but may not be bound or gagged. No killing or maiming is allowed. I will serve as referee and battlefield medic. Arm yourselves!" Chiron finished with the rules and spread his hands. Battle equipment appeared on the tables and everyone started suiting up. I put on my armor and grabbed my sword.

"Blue team, forward!" I shouted and led the team out of the pavilion and down towards the forest.

"Hey." I looked over my shoulder to see Percy struggling to keep up with me. I kept going.

"So what's the plan? Got any magic items you can loan me?" Percy asked. I unconsciously checked my pocket to see if my magic item was still there.

"Just watch Clarisse's spear. You don't want that thing touching you. Otherwise, don't worry. We'll take the banner from Ares. Had Luke given you your job?"

"Border patrol, whatever that means."

"It's easy. Stand by the creek, keep the reds away. Leave the rest to me. Athena always has a plan." I sped up leaving him behind. My plan would work, I just hoped Percy wouldn't get too badly injured.

Once we reached our base I started giving orders. As everyone split up I directed Percy to the creek and told him to watch for reds. Then I left.

I returned to the base just as the conch horn blew. I watched the game begin as my plan was set in motion. When the area was clear I pulled out my magic item, my invisibility cap, and put it on. I disappeared and raced off to where I had left Percy. I figured he'd need some help.

I arrived just as Percy was pushed backwards into the creek. Just as I was about to jump into the fight, Percy rose from the creek. He knocked out the first guy that came at him and my jaw dropped. He was good, I didn't know he was that good. I stood frozen and watched. Clarisse went at him and he snapped her spear.

"Ah! You idiot! Your corpse-breath worm!" Clarisse shouted. I thought I should intervene at that point but that's when I heard screams. I turned just in time to Luke race across the boundary line with the Ares banner. I cheered with everyone else.

"A trick! It was a trick!" Clarisse shouted. What can I say? I'm good at tricks.

The Ares banner changed to the Hermes banner. I turned back to Percy.

"Not bad, hero." He looked around for my voice. "Where the heck did you learn to fight like that?" I took off my cap and became visible again.

"You set me up." He accused. "You put me here because you knew Clarisse would come after me, while you sent Luke around the flank. You had it all figured out."

I shrugged. "I told you. Athena always, always has a plan."

"A plan to get me pulverized."

I smiled a bit. "I came as fast as I could. I was about to jump in. but…" I shrugged. "You didn't need help." I glanced at his arm. He had a cut but it was healing right in front of my eyes. "How did you do that?"

"Sword cut. What do you think?" He snapped.

"No. It was a sword cut. Look at it!"

He looked and together we watched the cut heal and disappear.

"I-I don't get it." Percy said.

I thought about what happened in the bathroom on his first day and I looked down at his feet. He was standing in the water. I flashed back to when he fell into the water. Pieces were falling into place really fast.

"Step out of the water, Percy."

"What-"

"Just do it."

He stepped out of the creek and almost fell over. I grabbed him and held him up. I was right. I knew who his dad was.

"Oh Styx. This is not good. I didn't want… I assumed it would be Zeus…"

I was interrupted by a howl. Monster. Chiron shouted at us to stand ready. I drew my sword. Above us on the rocks stood a massive hellhound. It was staring at Percy.

"Percy, run!" I tried to step in front of him but the hound leaped over me and hit Percy. The campers shot their arrows and the hellhound melted. Percy was still standing somehow. I was in shock.

"Di immortales! That's a hellhound from the Fields of Punishment. They don't… they're not supposed to…"

"Someone summoned it. Someone inside the camp." Chiron replied, looking around at the campers. Luke wondered over but I barely noticed.

"It's all Percy's fault! Percy summoned it!" Clarisse yelled.

"Be quiet, child," Chiron told her.

I looked at Percy and saw how cut up he was. "You're wounded. Quick, Percy, get in the water."

"I'm okay." He argued.

"No you're not. Chiron, watch this."

Percy stepped back into the creek and his wounds started healing instantly. Suddenly, something appeared above his head. Everyone gasped.

"Look, I-I don't know why, I'm sorry." Percy rambled.

"Percy, um…" I pointed at the swirling green trident above his head. "Your father. This is really not good."

"It is determined." Chiron announced. I kneeled and the other campers followed suit.

"My father?" Percy asked.

"Poseidon. Earthshaker, Stormbringer, Father of Horses. Hail, Perseus Jackson, Son of the Sea God." Chiron finished.


End file.
